“There is no set training standards for bouncers at clubs and bars,” said Robert Smith, CEO of Nightlife Security Consultants. “Without proper training, bouncers miss threats.”
One patron who was at Decades around the time of the shooting said she and others in line within minutes of the shooting were patted down but not wanded.
Smith has trained hundreds of District bar and nightclub security guards and managers. He says patrons expect visible security measures. That’s a change from 10 years ago, according to Smith, and it’s largely because of the exponential rise in school shootings.
